Blue Pug Books is an independent label specializing in graphic medicine comics. Based in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, we’ve just been born—mere microseconds ago in the grand story of independent publishing.
I believe comics are an ideal medium for tackling serious topics from a fresh, unthreatening perspective. This humble and approachable art form puts readers in a mindset of openness and learning. It’s a one-on-one conversation between the reader and the author, where stories come to life in the spaces between the panels—the gutter, via the reader’s imagination.
But don’t be mistaken—it’s a medium that can make you laugh or cry; it’s up to you
What is graphic medicine?
“Graphic Medicine” is a term coined in 2007 by Dr. Ian Williams, a comics artist and physician. It refers to “the intersection between the medium of comics and the discourse of healthcare.“
In the words of Dr. Williams, “Graphic Medicine could include graphic memoirs of illness, educational comics for both students and patients, academic papers and books, gag strips about healthcare, graphic reportage, and therapeutic workshops involving comic making, as well as many other practices and source material, both fictional and non-fictional.”
This form of graphic literature is also referred to as “Graphic Pathographies” by Michael J. Green and Kimberly R. Myers, professors at the Department of Humanities and Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine. As they explain, “Graphic pathographies have emerged to fill a niche for patients and doctors. These works can help patients learn more about their illness and find a community of similarly affected individuals. They also provide doctors with new insights into the personal experience of illness—especially regarding concerns patients might not mention in a clinical setting—as well as misconceptions about disease and treatment that could affect compliance and prognosis.”
And I couldn’t agree more.
